Guest column: Tax increase to support pre-k is premature

As a member of the Transition Planning Commission (TPC), I spent the last year working diligently with the group to develop a plan to merge our two school systems into one unified system.

One of our many recommendations was a commitment to pre-kindergarten programs for 4-year-olds to better prepare them for the academic challenges of elementary school. I endorsed this recommendation and fully embrace the concept that we must do more to prepare our children at an early age. However, at this time, I oppose increasing our sales tax by a half percent to fund the program. Asking voters to approve the tax referendum at this stage is both premature and poor budget management.

The TPC's final report recognized a budget gap of $57 million and suggested the Shelby County unified school board look for additional savings beyond the scope of the TPC's work. Our recommendations are now in the hands of the school board for their consideration as they begin to prepare a budget for the 2013-2014 school year.

There are numerous budget issues and program priorities they must consider in an attempt to narrow the budget gap and still develop quality educational programs. The school system must be allowed through their due diligence to make the tough choices they think are best for the new unified school system.

Asking voters to approve a tax to support the school system when the true financial need is unknown is poor budget management and premature. By June 2013, we will have a clear picture of the budget need and a recommendation to the County Commission (the primary local funding source) on the level of funding. The commission will then have several options and ample opportunity to review the budget and recommend a funding plan. If a tax increase is necessary, this would be the time to propose it.

If passed, the sale tax would generate more than $60 million in new tax revenue with 50 percent dedicated to the schools. In an attempt to promote passage, advocates for the tax increase claim the new revenue will be dedicated to pre-k programs. Yet, the reality is that neither the unified school board nor the state has approved the pre-k concept, and current funding levels are structured to fund only K-12.

Tax proponents have presented no plan that outlines how this new revenue can be channeled into pre-k programs. Advocates are also attempting to speak for the school board as to how funds should be allocated further restricting the options available to them for filling budget gaps.

Of the $60 million in new revenue, the city of Memphis will receive $24 million, yet at this point, has made no allocation for education funding from their funds. School security is one of my primary budget gap concerns. The city of Memphis intends to withdraw from their long standing agreement to provide security to those schools within the city limits. This could add up to $5 million dollars in additional costs to school operations. Failure to meet this critical need and not provide a safe environment for our students would negate any value a new program could offer.

Tax advocates attempting to promote its passage to support pre-k lack a clearly defined plan with no guarantee that it will indeed go to pre-k programs. More work must be done to prepare a plan. Once the plan is finalized, consensus must be built within the context of a total school budget that ensures the basic needs of our students are met. One of the most basic needs is that the students have a safe learning environment.

Transitioning our public schools from two large systems to one larger system is a herculean task involving multiple government and private entities. To further complicate this issue, this task must be accomplished by August 2013.

As designed by law, the TPC develops the plan. Then, the plan is passed to the school board for review, approval or modification. The board then develops their operational budget for submission to the County Commission for review, approval or rejection.

The County Commission determines the budget appropriation, and the school system begins the transition. If this process is allowed to work through each of these stages, we will then have a better idea of the true cost to educate our children. This tax proposal preempts the process and asks you the taxpayer for more money without assurances or a plan of action.